And today's commuting highlight is...

[pessimal]

done that sort of thing a number of times recently when i have seen people with flat tyres and only 1 brake light out of 3 working.

also did it on my bicycle this weekend, giving a random my spare inner tube, which backfired when i was 3 miles from home and i got a puncture!

[kiethton]

So this evenings commute, although somewhat expected highlighted the st show that is the quality of driving in SE London.

Leaving the city at 20:10 we had:

Uber Prius driving the wrong way down a 1 way road (Houndsditch)

Uber jumping a red light at Surrey Quays, coming a little too close for comfort

30 seconds later an Addison Lee moving from parked on the left hand side, across 2 full lanes, again nearly taking me out

Then a Tesco lorry (~12T) deciding to reverse onto the south circular from a side road, forcing traffic to stop (not waiting for a gap even), what’s worse is to turn around it could have done a loop around the roundabout all of 300m away

[OMNIO]

• scooter content*

The scenes that greeted me this evening.



No real damage to mine which was holding them both up.

I was wondering the other day if I should commute on my hornet and retire the scooter... I’ve had second thoughts.

Edited by OMNIO on Tuesday 18th September 21:41

[ClaphamGT3]

My commuting highlight was the ride home in new leathers!

For years I have persevered with an old Richa jacket and jeans set from c.1998 and a nut-crunchingly tight Wolf 2 piece Suit for track days that I never now do.

Finally bit the bullet and Bought a nearly new (broken in nicely) Alpinestars GP Plus 2 piece suit on eBay as the old set were falling apart after 20 years of regular use.

What a revelation! I normally hate leathers for being hot, restrictive and uncomfortable but Rolf with them for the protection. These are like nothing I've tried before in 30 years of riding. Initial thoughts on opening the packaging was 'these are the wrong size, they'll never fit' but all the stretchy bits stretched and I would up with the best fitting, most comfortable leathers I've ever worn.

With all the stretchy bits and the clever vents, it felt like I was riding home in my pyjamas!!

[308mate]

Very Very busy for some reason so far this week and many many bikes riding like total pricks. Stop it.

[TurbosSuck]

I drove in to work today as the forecast said rain all day, first time I've done it since starting a new job in June. It was so stressful and soul destroying sat in endless queues of traffic that I think I'd rather get soaked.

I've never commuted by bike all year before, only summer and nicer days of autumn / winter so I might need to stock up on decent kit. I might even have to get a scooter...

[jamiehamy]

I only started bike commutting in June - could not go back to car regularly. Not sure how it'll be in the dark however - will need to get decent spotlights I think for the single track section.

This morning was dry - and a 5mile queue on the motorway I filtered right through - 3 people changing lanes in front of me. amazes me how in two cases they looked in their mirrors and went anyway. Reinforces the rough rule on a 15mph speed differential max.

[supercommuter]

TurbosSuck said:

I drove in to work today as the forecast said rain all day, first time I've done it since starting a new job in June. It was so stressful and soul destroying sat in endless queues of traffic that I think I'd rather get soaked.

I've never commuted by bike all year before, only summer and nicer days of autumn / winter so I might need to stock up on decent kit. I might even have to get a scooter...

Once you have done a seriously heavy traffic commute by bike you will never go back to a car. Even if it involves being cold...welcome to the fold and the trials and tribulations of keeping warm and dry

A tip, don't waste your time buying waterproofs etc etc jump straight in and get Goretex pro kit, £1000-1500 for jacket and trousers, 0 percent it if you have to. It took my years to make the jump and I wish i had done it earlier (despite getting faulty gear to start with). Handle bar muffs with heated grips look stupid but are a life saver on a cold Feb morning

[Dakkon]

supercommuter said:

TurbosSuck said:

I drove in to work today as the forecast said rain all day, first time I've done it since starting a new job in June. It was so stressful and soul destroying sat in endless queues of traffic that I think I'd rather get soaked.

I've never commuted by bike all year before, only summer and nicer days of autumn / winter so I might need to stock up on decent kit. I might even have to get a scooter...

Once you have done a seriously heavy traffic commute by bike you will never go back to a car. Even if it involves being cold...welcome to the fold and the trials and tribulations of keeping warm and dry

A tip, don't waste your time buying waterproofs etc etc jump straight in and get Goretex pro kit, £1000-1500 for jacket and trousers, 0 percent it if you have to. It took my years to make the jump and I wish i had done it earlier (despite getting faulty gear to start with). Handle bar muffs with heated grips look stupid but are a life saver on a cold Feb morning

I agree with everything SC has just said

[RizzoTheRat]

I'll third the goretex pro shell comments, great stuff. Sheds water from the outer layer rather than a waterproof lining, so stays warmer and dries way quicker. Not cheap though. The other way to stay dry is to double bag, cheaper waterproof textiles with waterproof jacket and trousers over the top. Much cheaper but more hassle and can get a bit sweaty.

Electric heated waistcoats are also awesome in the winter. Again not cheap but easy to make your own if you're a cheapskate like me.

[TurbosSuck]

supercommuter said:

Once you have done a seriously heavy traffic commute by bike you will never go back to a car. Even if it involves being cold...welcome to the fold and the trials and tribulations of keeping warm and dry

A tip, don't waste your time buying waterproofs etc etc jump straight in and get Goretex pro kit, £1000-1500 for jacket and trousers, 0 percent it if you have to. It took my years to make the jump and I wish i had done it earlier (despite getting faulty gear to start with). Handle bar muffs with heated grips look stupid but are a life saver on a cold Feb morning

Thanks for the advice. I definitely won't go back to commuting by car unless I absolutely have to.

One thing that worries me about winter is that most of the sludge and icy patches tend to accumulate in the middle of the road where I spend most of my time either slicing between traffic or overtaking. What's the best way to avoid a tarmac breakfast?

[kiethton]

By riding to the conditions

[Sea Demon]

TurbosSuck said:

Thanks for the advice. I definitely won't go back to commuting by car unless I absolutely have to.

One thing that worries me about winter is that most of the sludge and icy patches tend to accumulate in the middle of the road where I spend most of my time either slicing between traffic or overtaking. What's the best way to avoid a tarmac breakfast?

When its like that, don't bother trying to filter through cars - just follow them and stay out of the ice/slush.

[TurbosSuck]

This was my concern, if I can't overtake or filter through the mile long queues of stationary traffic, wouldn't I be better off in my car anyway?

[Bumblebee7]

TurbosSuck said:

This was my concern, if I can't overtake or filter through the mile long queues of stationary traffic, wouldn't I be better off in my car anyway?

Not sure how far North you live but this really isn't a massive problem in London. I think in the last 12 months there were no more than 5 days of actual slush on the roads that was severe enough to change riding/filtering style. There were 4 days of proper snow which meant I didn't ride to work and took the car instead, on those days though I think all of London decided to stay at home as it took me 25 mins to cover just over 8 miles of London in rush hour which was amazing.

[fergus]

Dakkon said:

supercommuter said:

TurbosSuck said:

I drove in to work today as the forecast said rain all day, first time I've done it since starting a new job in June. It was so stressful and soul destroying sat in endless queues of traffic that I think I'd rather get soaked.

I've never commuted by bike all year before, only summer and nicer days of autumn / winter so I might need to stock up on decent kit. I might even have to get a scooter...

Once you have done a seriously heavy traffic commute by bike you will never go back to a car. Even if it involves being cold...welcome to the fold and the trials and tribulations of keeping warm and dry

A tip, don't waste your time buying waterproofs etc etc jump straight in and get Goretex pro kit, £1000-1500 for jacket and trousers, 0 percent it if you have to. It took my years to make the jump and I wish i had done it earlier (despite getting faulty gear to start with). Handle bar muffs with heated grips look stupid but are a life saver on a cold Feb morning

I agree with everything SC has just said

+1

[TurbosSuck]

Lincolnshire, but only just moved here from the West Midlands. We had a bit of snow there last year and quite a few days where the less used roads were frosty and a bit slippery.

I guess I'll just have to see how I get on.

[Bikesalot]

5 degrees as I wheeled the bike out the garage this morning.

Nice little reminder of what winter commuting will be like; cold, wet roads, low and really bright sun.

Heated grips on my Africa Twin aren’t as good as my old GS

[supercommuter]

Might put the muffs back on tonight

[mitzy]

First Ride into work in three weeks :

Why is it not light at 6am

Who switched the heating off

Nice to be back on two wheels after not being well and getting some fresh air.
Rode into a black bin liner and it stuck on my pipes for a bit so had to pull over to get that off